CU Times Luminaries Finalists: Product Innovation – Credit, Debit Payments Solutions

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Product Innovation – Credit/Debit/Payments Solutions

Bloom Credit
Built by fintech and credit industry experts, Bloom Credit has developed modern financial data access and infrastructure to transform how creditworthiness is determined and ensure consumers get the credit they deserve.

Its newest innovation, Bloom+, is a first-of-its-kind API that allows credit union members to share their own bill payment data (consumer-permissioned data (CPD) — with major credit bureaus to be reported as tradelines. They’re able to build their credit profiles and substantiate creditworthiness without taking on new debt - effectively rewriting how creditworthiness is determined.

PayNearMe
PayNearMe has transformed how credit unions approach payments with its Smart Link™ technology. Smart Link revolutionizes the payment experience by sending members personalized one-click payment links via text, email, QR code printed on paper statements, eliminating barriers such as logins, passwords, or remembering account details. This simplicity empowers credit union members to quickly and effortlessly complete payments.

The measurable impact of Smart Link is substantial. Clients have seen immediate operational improvements, including a 43% reduction in agent-assisted payments within the first year and a swift 17% drop in call volume within just 30 days of implementation. One client saw self-service payment adoption soar from 37% to nearly 75%.

Corporate One Federal Credit Union
Corporate One Federal Credit Union is a recognized leader in the immediate payments space, having connected over 100 credit unions to the RTP® and FedNow® networks. Having connected more than 26% of all credit unions on the RTP network, Corporate One is second only to Jack Henry in reach. With seamless integrations into top core processors, Corporate One enables credit unions—from $23 million to nearly $20 billion in assets—to go live in as little as 45 days. Its stand-out innovation—CU Corporate RTP—developed in partnership with a fintech partner modernizes credit unions’ accounts payable and receivable operations, helping them reduce costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen business relationships through real-time payments.

Corporate One’s deep expertise is backed by a highly credentialed team and active leadership in national payments councils. Over the last 12 months, it onboarded 57 credit unions and expanded connectivity options, making immediate payments more accessible than ever. 

FINBOA, Inc.
FINBOA stands out for its groundbreaking automation in credit union operations, specifically through its enhanced AutoDecision feature within the FINBOA Payment Disputes solution. At a time when payment disputes are growing rapidly and compliance pressure is intensifying, FINBOA enables credit unions to automatically resolve low-risk disputes based on customizable risk parameters—freeing staff to focus on complex, higher-risk cases and fraud prevention. This innovation allows same-day resolution of qualifying low-risk disputes and significantly reduces reliance on manual back-office processes.

Metallicus
Metallicus, a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), is leading the way in blockchain-based financial innovation tailored for credit unions. Through its flagship solutions—Metal Pay for Credit Unions and Custom Stablecoins—Metallicus empowers institutions to embed real-time, programmable payments directly into their mobile apps while maintaining full control over member deposits. These solutions are built on Metal Blockchain, a compliant, permissioned Layer 0 infrastructure that allows credit unions to issue their own branded digital dollars, restrict outflows, and protect deposits from disintermediation.

In 2024–2025, Metallicus launched its Stablecoin Pilot Program, giving credit unions a secure sandbox to explore tokenized money movement, revenue-sharing opportunities, and on-chain compliance tools.